[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 100 (Monday, May 24, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 29627]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-11692]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2004-17678; Notice 1]


Ford Motor Company, Receipt of Petition for Decision of 
Inconsequential Noncompliance

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) has determined that the certification 
labels on certain vehicles that it produced in 1998 through 2004 do not 
comply with S5.3.2 of 49 CFR 571.120, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety 
Standard (FMVSS) No. 120, ``Tire selection and rims for motor vehicles 
other than passenger cars.'' Ford has filed an appropriate report 
pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, ``Defect and Noncompliance Reports.''
    Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 30118(d) and 30120(h), Ford has petitioned 
for an exemption from the notification and remedy requirements of 49 
U.S.C. chapter 301 on the basis that this noncompliance is 
inconsequential to motor vehicle safety.
    This notice of receipt of Ford's petition is published under 49 
U.S.C. 30118 and 30120 and does not represent any agency decision or 
other exercise of judgment concerning the merits of the petition.
    A total of approximately 908,548 model year 1999 through 2003 Ford 
Windstar multipurpose passenger vehicles and approximately 86,321 model 
year 2004 Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey multipurpose passenger 
vehicles produced between August 4, 1998, and March 24, 2004, are 
affected. S5.3.2 of FMVSS 120 requires that each vehicle shall identify 
either on the certification label or on the separate tire information 
label ``the [rim] size designation and, if applicable, the type 
designation of [r]ims * * *.'' The labeling on the affected vehicles 
does not include the rim size and type information required by S5.3.2.
    Ford believes that the noncompliance is inconsequential to motor 
vehicle safety and that no corrective action is warranted. Ford states 
that the likelihood of an operator inadvertently installing an 
incorrect wheel on one of these vehicles is virtually nonexistent 
because the rim size and type information is marked on the wheels of 
the vehicle. Ford is not aware of any owner or field complaints related 
to the label omission, nor is it aware of any incidents relating to 
motor vehicle safety or any other evidence that this inadvertent 
omission of rim size and type data on the vehicle labeling has had a 
negative safety impact on the owners and/or operators of these 
vehicles.
    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and 
arguments on the petition described above. Comments must refer to the 
docket and notice number cited at the beginning of this notice and be 
submitted by any of the following methods. Mail: Docket Management 
Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Nassif Building, Room PL-
401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Hand Delivery: 
Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW., Washington, DC. It is requested, but not required, that 
two copies of the comments be provided. The Docket Section is open on 
weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Federal Holidays. Comments may 
be submitted electronically by logging onto the Docket Management 
System Web site at http://dms.dot.gov. Click on ``Help'' to obtain 
instructions for filing the document electronically. Comments may be 
faxed to 1-202-493-2251, or may be submitted to the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal: go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
    The petition, supporting materials, and all comments received 
before the close of business on the closing date indicated below will 
be filed and will be considered. All comments and supporting materials 
received after the closing date will also be filed and will be 
considered to the extent possible. When the petition is granted or 
denied, notice of the decision will be published in the Federal 
Register pursuant to the authority indicated below.
    Comment closing date: June 23, 2004.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30118, 30120: delegations of authority at 
49 CFR 1.50 and 501.8.

    Issued on: May 18, 2004.
Kenneth N. Weinstein,
Associate Administrator for Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 04-11692 Filed 5-21-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P